Improvement in bee-hives



Cdilated time anni entre.l

Letters Patent No. 90,87 3, dated June 1, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT `IN' BEE-HIVES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making partei the same.

To all whom it 'may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M. ROBNETT, of Centralia, in the county of Marion, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and general arrangement of a bee-hive, which will be hereinafter fullyV set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, to make and use the same, I -will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section;

Figure 2 is a plan view, with the top and honeyboxes removed; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the honey-boxes.'

Figure 4 is a perspective of the bee-entrance.

A represents a box, of suitable dimensions, forming the main hive.

This box is provided with a hinged door, B, at each end, and another hinged door, C, at the front side, vinside of which latter door is a glass plate, a.

The bottom I), of the main hive A, is inclined from`front to rear, as seen in iig. l; and the rear side of the hive hasan opening, b, extending above the rear lower end of the bottom the whole length of the hive.

Above this opening b, inside of the hive, is an inclined board, E, which points downward and rearward, and extends 'to near the inclined bottom D, leaving, however, between theltwo a passage, c, through which the bees enter the main hive. I

It will be observed that the lower rear part of the bottom D, the board E, and the sides of the main hive A, form an entrance-chamber,-through which the bees must pass before they reach the main hive.

In this chamber is placed a triangular bar, F, extending the whole length of said chamber.

This triangular' bar is channell'ed on the lower side, as shown in fig. 4, said channel being marked d.

In the centre of the front side of said bar is an entrance, e, which leads into the channel d; and at each end, on the rear side of said bar, are openings, it, which lead from the channel l into the chamber' already mentioned.

It will readily be understood, that by this arrangement of the entrance to the chamber outside of the entrance to themain hive, the bees will have more and better opportunity to defend themselves against the.

miller, &c.

Inside of the main hive A, are pivoted or hinged a series of comb-guides, G G, each of which consists of two vertical bars, f f', forming the ends of a frame,

said bars being, at their upper ends, connected by a cross-bar, g. This cross-bar is in the shape of a triangle, being horizontal or level at top, but its under side inclined Y or slanting from the bar f to the bar f', this edge of the cross-bar g being also bevelled on both sides, so as to he V-shaped, thus making an inclined guide for the bees to build their combs on.

.'lhe combs built on an inclined guide are not so liable to be brokengas those'built on a straight or horizontal guide.

A suitable distance below the cross-bar g, between the vert-ical bars f f', is placed a square bar, h, running parallel with the under side of the cross-har g, A

and so placed that the edge or corner'l is upward, instead oi one side.

The bar f is, on its outer side, provided with two hooks, k It, which are placed in eyes, m m, secured to the rear side of themain hive A. The other vertical bar f, being longer than the bar f', rests on the bottom D.

The comb-guides or framesG G are thus hinged or pivoted to the rear side of the hive, so that they-can easily be turned to either side when the end doorsfB B are opened. y; t

I also provide the bars ff with pins n n, projecting on both sides, for the purpose of keeping the frames at a suitable distance trom each other.

Above the frames G G is placed a frame, H, which I have represented in fig. 1 as being a short distance raised from them, but it may be laid on top ot' the frames `Gr G,.which position I also deem the best.

In this frame is placed a series of frames, I I, or honey-boxes, the bottoms of which are narrower than the sides and tops, so as to .leave room between each frame, at the bottom, for the bees to enter.

At the ends of the Jhoney-frames I I is placed another frame, J, with glass 0,-so as to give light to the same.

These latter `frames are secured inside of the ends of the frame' H, by pins or other suitable devices.

The honey-frames I I, and glass-frames J J, are held together onthe sides and top by strips, fr, placed in grooves on said frames, and held by bands or loops s s.

A cap, K, is placed over the honey-boxes, which cap fits on the upper edges of the main hive A, and is provided with suitable openings for ventilation.

3. In combination with the main hive A and fmmes G Gr, the frame H, containing the honey-boxes I I,

and glass-frames J J, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day of March, 1869.

v JAMES M. ROBNETT. Witnesses:

S. L. HAND, G. M. PnELPs. 

